Nolan Creek Lodge #227 and Belton Masonic Lodge #166 team up for the community

The Nolan Creek Lodge #227 and the Belton Masonic Lodge #166 worked together to put on a clothing drive and a barbeque lunch this past Saturday. The co-hosted charity event, which took place at the Belton Lodge, served to provide for the Belton community as well as surrounding areas. The clothing drive was set up by the Belton Lodge to help provide clothing and non-perishable food items for the Helping Hands Ministry of Belton, while the barbeque supported by both lodges served as a fundraiser for the Mt. Zion Back to School event. Plates for the barbeque—at a $10 donation—included brisket, sausage, chicken, and a variety of sides, all packaged in a take-out container for convenience. Members from both lodges either helped serve out plates or cook up the food, making sure that there was enough to go around.

Along with the two events, the Belton Lodge hosted an open house, allowing for members of the community to visit with Mason lodge members and look around the lodge itself. Members and volunteers also took the time to host a small clean-up of the lodge, cleaning up any debris or trimming any trees/unkempt grass around the lodge.

Ron Zimmerman, who is the Master of the Belton Lodge, and Gregory Benton, who is the Worshipful Master of the Nolan Creek Lodge, have cooperated in the past for the same events, along with other events towards the community.

“Both lodges are basically the same thing, we just have different names,” explained Zimmerman who expressed how both lodges strive to foster good citizenship and build community relationship through charity projects. Both lodge leaders understand how important it is to help the community, whether that is with a fundraiser or a clothing drive.

The barbeque fundraiser was set up to help fund the annual Back to School event at the Mt. Zion United Methodist Church. Having helped raise around $1,700 for the event, both lodges were excited to take part in providing school supplies and other items for the children of the community.

“I want to be someone the kids can look up to,” said Benton. The clothing drive also served to help the Helping Hands Ministry of Belton, an organization that strives to help impoverished or financially burdened families within the Belton community. The clothing drive, which accepted both food and non-perishables, helped in raising around 1,700 pounds of clothing and food.

“We let people know that we’re here, and are working for the community” said Robert Livingston.